Ship project history:
Largest and strongest armoured cruisers of Italian
Navy. They were ordered at once after Amalfi class and had similar armament of predecessors, but had advanced
protection, improved seaworthiness and habitability. San Marco differed by
machinery: she became the first Italian ship equipped with steam turbines.To the mid-1930s San Giorgio was used as TS. In 1937-1938 she has
conversion to coast defence ship at Spezia. In the early 1940 she was converted
to AA floating battery and passed to Tobruk.

Ship protection:
Main 200mm belt (full ship length, tapering to 80mm at lower edge), medium belt between stem and aft main
gun turret and upper belt between 190mm gun turrets
expanded to upper deck, main and upper belts were closed by 150mm bulkheads
abreast barbettes. Main belt thickness was 100mm on short parts at ship ends.
Main deck was connected with
lower edge of main belt by slopes.

Naval service: San Giorgio
was hard damaged at Tobruk 22/1/1941 by British deck aircraft (Eagle air group)
and scuttled by crew at shallow water.

San Marco in 1931-1935 was converted to radio-controlled
target ship for gunnery training (8600/8966t, 13000hp, 18kts), in September, 1943
she was captured by German troops and scuttled by them at Spezia in 1944.